ABOUT US
ABOUT US
OUR STORY
Surrounded by the beautiful Cedar River, our 117 acres of wooded forest provides a natural habitat for a large variety of wildlife. These surroundings provide for an excellent backdrop for any event, retreat, camp or getaway of your choosing. Whether it’s the beauty of a Cedar River sunset, the peacefulness of an early morning hike, the coolness of an afternoon swim, the awe of a cloudless, starry sky, or the love of friends and family, Cedar Springs has a lot to offer.
WHO WE ARE
Cedar Springs Camp is owned and operated by the Northwest District of the Wesleyan Church, alongside Cedar Canyon Camp in Rapid City, South Dakota. We are a non-profit organization created to operate a Christian Campground located in north central Iowa. A member of the Christian Camp and Conference Association, we are here to serve our communities and their neighbors.
OUR FACILITIES
Our facilities are well equipped to serve the needs of organizations seeking a Christ-centered atmosphere. We have many types of groups that visit us. These include church camps and retreats, denominational conferences, family reunions, weddings and non-profit group retreats and seminars.
SINCE 1968
HISTORY
Cedar Springs has been serving God's children since 1968
Cedar Springs Camp, formerly known as the Wesleyan Methodist Camp, was started in 1922 and was originally located in Dundee, Iowa prior to being moved to Charles City, Iowa. On May 15th, 1968, a tornado of major size cut a swath from 1 1/2 to five blocks wide, and 20 blocks long through the heart of Charles City. There was very little left of the camp.
In June of that year the Wesleyan Methodist Church merged with the Pilgrim Holiness church and formed what is now known as the Wesleyan Church. In October 1968, Dr. & Mrs. R.A. Fox sold a 72 acre tract of wooded property to the camp. District Superintendent Rev. Donald D Calhoun announced that the old property in Charles City would be sold and this new property would be purchased.
"Belly Acres" as the property was known became our new home and in July 1970 was inhabited by over 200 children during three 2 day youth camps. In August of that year the first Family Camp was help with approximately 1,000 people in attendance. At that time, the area became known as "Cedar Springs Camp".
Since that time, many additional buildings have been built, many hours of manual labor have been put in and many lives have been changed. We continue to build, expand, and improve the camp. Most importantly, we continue to focus on the experience one has when they come to enjoy the camp. Our vision for Cedar Springs is: To create an environment for people to experience God. We look forward to many more years of service to the Kingdom and our great God.